Türkiye will make their debut at the top level of men’s EuroHockey U21 Championship action this week following their steady rise through the ranks over the past seven years.
They have competed in the second tier for the past three editions, rising from seventh in 2017 to fourth in 2019 and up to second spot in 2022 in Plzeň Litice just behind Ireland (whom they drew with 2-2).
Since then, the panel has been largely overhauled with just three of the players from back then still eligible.
They include Metpack Alanya Stars Anil Özturk, Ataş Alperen and Hakim Taşar – the sole player from Turkish club champions Gaziantep Polisgücü who are among a large group who have also been elevated to their national senior panel.
That trio along with Ali Kizilirmak, İbrahim Polat, Furkan Koca and Harun Yerklikaya were all involved with the senior side at last summer’s EuroHockey Championship II in Dublin.
At the other end of the scale, six of the wider panel have moved up from the Under-18 class of 2023 who finished second in Championship II-A in Konya.
Five of the panel hail from Nizip Zeugma who won gold at the EuroHockey Club Trophy II at Whitsun with Cihan Kormkaz a key figure. He netted three goals in that campaign and – as captain – scored for the Under-18s last year and so is a talent to watch.
Overall, 10 different regions are represented in the wider panel of 24 who are entering into uncharted territories but will be hoping they can continue breaking new ground on the international stage.
Best performance: first appearance (2nd in EuroHockey U21 Championship II in 2022)
